The Ozone-Depleting Substances (Grant of Halon Derogations) Regulations 2025, made by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, provide specific derogations from Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 concerning the phase-out date for using halon 1211 in portable fire extinguishers.

The regulations extend permissions for this substance in fire suppression systems for specified Defence aircraft until June 2027 for some models and December 2040 for others, and for Loganair aircraft until December 2026, based on the justification that no technically or economically feasible alternatives currently exist for these critical aviation applications.

The Secretary of State for Transport enacted this Order to amend the standing Railway Byelaws originally made in 2005.

The primary changes involve modernizing the language across multiple byelaws by replacing gendered pronouns with neutral alternatives, and specifically prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes on railway property where smoking is banned.

Furthermore, the Order revises provisions related to vehicle control, obstructions, and parking by separating the rules for England and Wales (introducing new Byelaw 14A) from those for Scotland (Byelaw 14B), while also substituting the term "penalty" with "fine" for clarity regarding criminal enforcement.

These Regulations, titled the Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2025, update UK domestic law to incorporate the latest amendments from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolutions MSC.532(107) and MSC.538(107) concerning ships operating in polar waters, effectively replacing the 2021 Regulations.

The new rules come into force on 1st January 2026 and apply to United Kingdom ships and specific non-UK ships operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters, extending mandatory safety requirements, including detailed structural, navigational, and training provisions from the Polar Code, to additional categories of ships such as smaller cargo ships, fishing vessels, and pleasure vessels, while also amending several existing pieces of maritime legislation relating to surveys, certification, and training fees.

The Secretary of State for Transport has made this Order using powers under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to amend the definition of 'relevant land' within Schedule 4 of that Act, specifically to ensure that land subject to preserved railway byelaws made under the Transport Act 2000 is included, thereby facilitating the recovery of unpaid car parking charges from keepers or hirers of vehicles parked in station car parks.

This Order, enacted in exercise of powers under the Competition Act 1998, amends the Competition Act 1998 (Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption) Order 2001 following a recommendation from the Competition and Markets Authority.

The key changes involve removing the fixed expiration date for the exemption, thereby making it permanent unless reviewed, adjusting definitions related to connecting services—specifically regarding trunk bus services—and removing the definition of a "working day" to align with the main Act.

The document confirms the amendments extend across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and sets a new mandatory review date of 1st January 2031.

These Regulations, made under powers in the Police Act 1997, amend existing criminal records regulations from 2002 and 2009 to introduce two new purposes for obtaining enhanced criminal record certificates.

First, they include assessing an applicant's suitability to hold a licence under the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024.

Second, they allow for enhanced checks, including barring list checks, when assessing a registered health care professional’s suitability to work with children or vulnerable adults if they are employed or contracted by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

The Secretary of State for Transport confirms the Borough Council of Calderdale’s Scheme, enacted under the Highways Act 1980, which authorizes the construction of a multi-span bridge over the Calder and Hebble Navigation.

This bridge is a component of the Elland Station and West Vale Access Package, intended to provide essential pedestrian and cycle access to the proposed Elland Rail Station from the north bank, while ensuring navigational requirements of the waterway are met.

These Regulations update and consolidate the legal framework governing merchant vessels used in commercial activities related to sport or pleasure, applying to UK vessels globally and other seagoing vessels in UK waters, excluding those carrying more than twelve passengers or pleasure vessels not engaged commercially.

The legislation details specific survey and certification requirements based on vessel size (large vessels subject to the REG Code, small vessels subject to the SCV Code), establishes appeal processes including arbitration for survey disputes, outlines certificate validity and conditions for cancellation, sets out operational requirements, and defines offenses and detention powers for enforcement against non-compliant vessels.